Fixation
by smilingchica
Summary: Post season 2. I don't want to give too much away but I'll just say, "Tony becomes someone's obsession...."
1. Lindsey Peters

_Hi everyone! Here's a story I couldn't help but post here. I would love if you could leave a review and tell me what you think, I would greatly appreciate it :)_

_This is, of course, a TM story, though with a twist. There's many stories written that depict someone obsessed with Michelle, which is reasonable because she **is** gorgeous, but I've decided to turn the tables_.

_Oh, and by the way, I don't own twenty-four...yet._

**Lindsey Peters**

Bomb. Chaos. Death. Destruction. You know the one. The one that blasted CTU, killing thirty agents, trying to rip apart the agency, but they stood steadfast and resolute. The survivors brushed themselves off, healed their wounds and tried to move on as best they could. They saved the day once again, keeping the American people out of harm's way and receiving no end of gratitude for their accomplishments.  
Four months had gone by. Time had passed steadily onward with the reconstruction of the facility and people were reassigned to CTU Los Angeles to fill the places of the taken personnel.  
Our story begins when one such post needed to be filled and a young woman arrived through the entrance, finding herself in the worst dilemma she would have to face while working in that very office.

Tony Almeida, the new director of CTU, strode toward Lindsey Peters who shyly waited at security, watching the hustle and bustle of the Counter Terrorist Unite. People walked about with folders wearing composed faces, no time for jokes. They were all a sea of dark starched suits, they're faces illuminated by the eerie purple of their monitors.  
"Tony Almeida, I'm special agent in charge," he said, extending a hand in greeting. Lindsey studied his face closely and noticed that he was very handsome with gentle Hispanic features and warm liquid eyes. She eagerly gave him her hand and found that it was warm and soft.  
"Lindsey Peters," she said, trying hard not to drool openly when he gave her a crooked smile.  
"Hi. If you can fallow me, I'll introduce you to your department head and you can get situated. Chapelle highly regarded you in your interview at Divison, which if you don't know Ryan, is very rare. I can't wait to have you on the team," he said, heading up the stairs to the second level.  
"Chloe, this is Lindsey Peters, she's your new analyst," Tony said to a mousy haired woman typing away at her computer.  
"Hi," she said without looking away from her screen.  
"If you have any questions, Chloe will be more than willing to answer them," he said to Lindsey though looking at Chloe. She saw the other woman slightly roll her eyes.  
"Let me show you to your station," Tony said, giving another one of his crooked smiles.  
He led her to a small desk that had one of the newest computer systems, a phone, a small lamp and a swivel chair.  
"Here you go. You can personalize your desk but remember that we deal with a lot of information so most of us have stacks of paperwork on our desks, so make sure you have room."  
"Okay."  
"And also; don't worry about Chloe. As long as you keep your hands off her system, do your work well and efficiently, then you should get along fine," he had leaned in close to her so Chloe wouldn't be able to hear. His nearness made her heart flutter like a caged butterfly.  
"Thanks," she managed to say.  
"Barry will give you the full tour but I need to get back to work," he said, heading back toward the top of the stairs.

"Thank you..." she said, unsure of what to call him.

"Tony. Mr. Almeida makes me sound like an old man and an asshole," he said.  
It made her laugh. "Thank you Tony."  
He tipped his head and headed back to his office, which ended up being the glass fishbowl looking over the bullpen. Lindsey watched him go, still a little shocked that _that_ was her boss.  
"Forget about it," someone said behind her. She turned to see that it was Chloe who had spoken, even though her eyes were still on her computer.  
"Forget about what?" Lindsey responded, feigning innocence.  
"You know what. He's off limits," her eyes not even moving an inch away from her work.  
"I wasn't-" she tried to say.  
"Oh, come on, every woman in this building is thinking it. And besides, it's unprofessional to look at your superiors, or anyone in the office, that way. Remember, inter office relationships are not allowed," she said the 'not allowed' forcefully.  
Lindsey was speechless. Chloe still hadn't looked at her, even as Lindsey turned away, back to her station to coddle her deflated hopes. She hadn't seen a wedding ring, so he couldn't be _that_ off limits, could he?

_ Sorry, this chapter's short, it's more of an introduction. And I promise more TM fluff in the next chapter. I just needed to establish this character so everyone would know what was going on._


	2. Phone Call

_Here's the second chapter, and it consists of a little TM. I'll be telling this story with little excerpts of Lindsey and little excerpts of Tony and Michelle, so you'll always have different perspectives and two story lines going at the same time; one will be Lindsey's and one will be Tony and Michelle's love story._

_Once again, reviews are appreciated._

_Oh, and the statues on owning 24 hasn't changed since the last time I posted, unfortunately._

Phone Call

Tony opened his front door, walking into his dark front entrance, throwing his keys onto the small table in the semi blackness. His hand ran along the wall until his fingers found the light control. Switching it on with a simple flick of his wrist, the darkness vanished with the white hallway lights. He shut the door behind him, dropping his briefcase on the table as well and heading into his living room.  
One message flashed on his answering machine; he pushed play as he went into his bedroom and began to undress. The tape started, filling his modest apartment with Michelle's welcoming voice. He gave a small smile.  
"Hey Tony, it's me. I guess I missed you, I keep forgetting about the time difference. I didn't want to try your cell in case you were busy. I just wanted to say that I'm okay. It's hot as hell here but nice and humid. The meetings are boring without you but it's almost over. I should be flying in next week on Wednesday." Tony loosened his tie, sitting at the foot of his bed to untie his shoes.  
"This whole conference is notifying but I wish they could have held it somewhere closer to home. I mean I love being back in New York but I miss you so much," there was a beep.  
"Oh, I have another call waiting for me, so I have to go. I'll be up late so call me whenever you get this message. I love you. Bye," the machine went silent.  
He reached across his ruffled bed (he never made it when Michelle wasn't there, and the maid wouldn't come until Monday) and grabbed the cordless phone and pressed speed dial.  
It rang three short times before she picked up.  
"Hey," her voice warmly filled his ear.  
"Hi. Did I wake you?"  
"No. I was just going over some papers. How are you?"  
"I miss you, two weeks is way too long to go without you."

"I know. I didn't realize it would be this excruciating sleeping without you next to me."  
"Tell me about it. I've been sleeping with one of your shirts over my pillow," he admitted a bit embarrassed.  
"Really?" she asked, a little surprised.  
"Really."  
He heard her sigh on the other end.  
Today he had been overwhelmed with the desire to kiss her as he looked down at her empty workstation. He thought about telling her that, but he didn't want her to know how much he actually needed her, afraid to scare her off. He knew deep down that he couldn't actually do that but sometimes it frightened him how much he relied on her to keep him whole, keep him sane.  
"How are you?" he asked after a minute of listening to each other's breathing.  
"I've been busy, these meetings aren't a cake walk," she said with a tired exhale.  
"I know. I wish Chapelle could have sent someone else instead of you. How's your family?"  
"They seem fine. I had dinner with them on Sunday. My sister came over too. God, I missed talking to her." Michelle's older sister Sarah lived in New York and because of Michelle's work, hardly got to talk to her and saw her even less. Tony had met her once at a family reunion they had in San Diego about two months prior. She looked a lot like Michelle with the same curly hair and almond eyes, though they didn't posses the same warmth as Michelle's. She was an inch taller and had the air of an artist. She ran her own studio in New York called the Bloody Pomegranate, which he hadn't yet visited. She was also loud and liked to drink, and as Michelle put it, went through men like flipping through a rolodex. But she was kind and seemed genuinely happy for her younger sister when she presented Tony to the family. Danny, on the other hand, constantly thought of Tony as a threat and worried about his sister relentlessly, sometimes calling in the middle of the night in a drunken stupor. Michelle always rushed to his side. Tony really though Danny hated him because he was afraid that Michelle would stop mothering him if she committed herself to Tony. Danny always wanted everyone to do the hard things for him, never wanted to face reality. And Michelle never let him. She shielded him from everything, helped him recuperate after he tried to kill himself, tried to settle his divorce and still be friends with his ex-wife and children. Michelle took care of everyone, made sure everyone was happy. What they all didn't notice was that it sucked the energy out of her and prevented her from having a wealthy relationship. That's where Tony came into the equation; he was there to take care of her, to make sure she was okay. She needed someone there for her, and he happily obliged.  
"I'm glad you got to see them," he said honestly, unbuttoning his shirt, the phone wedged between his shoulder and his cheek.  
"What are you doing?" she asked.  
"Taking off my clothes," he said a bit teasingly. He heard her groan on the other side.  
"I wish I was there," she said. He could picture her biting her lip.  
"I wish you were here too," he said as seductively as he could.  
It went like this for a couple minutes, telling each other how much they needed them.  
"I should let you go," he said eventually, a smirk still poised on his lips.  
"Okay. Goodnight."  
"Goodnight sweetheart."  
"I love you," she said.

"I love you Michelle." they listened to the silence for a second before they hung up, both feeling content but at the same time missing each other more than ever.


	3. Where Conflict Begins

_Thanks so much for all the reviews! I had no idea people liked it so much. That really fuels me on :)_

_Tony, not mine... Damn it!!_

Where Conflict Begins

Tony was awoken abruptly by the blaring of his alarm clock. He had fallen asleep once again with his arm flung over Michelle's empty side of the bed, his face pressed against her fragrant shirt. Blurred eyed, he studied the clock, reaching his hand over his sleep crumpled blankets to silence it. It was six thirty. Groaning, he rolled over, swinging his feet off the bed, rubbing his face a few times, feeling his bristly facial hair. He waited a minute for all his senses to awaken. Michelle was a morning person; always dragging him out of bed and helping him get energized for the day to come. Sometimes she had to coerce him into getting out of bed, he always wanted to stay home, keep Michelle in his bed forever. Those days were always the best. They headed for work smiling and already content, shining from their morning activities.

He stood up, heading into the bathroom. He started the shower, his mind still on one of those mornings, his heart aching for his splendid girlfriend. Their relationship wasn't all about the sex, thought, he had to admit that it was the best he had ever had, but their relationship went so much deeper than that. They worked better together; they thought the same and easily fitted their lives to accommodate the other. Tony didn't think he could find a better match. She was everything he could have dreamed of; maybe a little more stubborn then he had expected but otherwise the ideal person to spend the rest of his life with. He didn't mean to be cheesy but it was all true. His life seemed so much easier with her, everything went like clockwork. By the end of the first date he had known that they were meant to be and that nothing would ever come between them.

He took a fast shower, got out and shaved and was fully dressed at six fifty, which gave him enough time to drink his first cup of coffee and read the morning paper.  
Drinking his coffee black, straight and strong, he tackled the morning headlines. They read: **Terrorist Plot Uncovered**. Tony read the watered down story of a Middle Eastern family that had planned to demolish L.A. but were uncovered before they could ensue any damage, no one was killed and L.A. was safe once again. Tony scoffed as the report came to end. CTU had been working nonstop on that case. They had tracked them back to a warehouse in Valencia, but not before they had killed themselves, all the evidence and ten of their best agents. It was hard on all of them after that day. They had just recuperated from the bomb when more people were taken. Tony could see a lot of his people harden under the events, one of them being Michelle herself. Many broke, having to take leaves of absence. He granted them, explaining to Chapelle, who openly complained, that if they were going to get back up and start working at full capacity, he needed all his people attentive and fully functional.

Tony grabbed his jacket, setting his Cubs mug in the sink, ran some water into it, grabbed his briefcase and headed out to face the morning traffic.

Lindsey arrived half an hour early, her stomach squirming to be going to her official first day of work, or so she told herself. Deep down, though she tried to cover it, she felt anticipation at seeing Tony again. She didn't know what it was about him but it made her knees go weak. She couldn't help but fantasize about him all night. She wondered what Chloe had meant by 'off limits'. Lindsey wanted to meet the person that had gotten to him first.

These thoughts ran through her mind as she kept passing underneath Tony's empty office, hoping to catch him and say hello.

Tony passed through security, waving to John the guard and headed across the quiet bullpen. Lindsey was waiting at the bottom of the stairs holding a CTU file to her chest. She smiled when he got closer.

She watched him approach, her stomach doing an unnecessary flip.  
"Good morning," she said cheerfully.  
"Good morning," he said, not as happy as she had hoped.  
"Chloe wanted me to give you this," she said, giving him the folder. Chloe had actually said she would do it herself but Lindsey had almost begged her so that she could take it.  
"uhh, thanks," he said, looking at the thick folder. "Lindsey, you can just put these on my desk before I get here."  
"Oh, right, sorry," she said, her cheeks blooming little buds of red.  
"It's okay, I know it's only your second day," he said, giving her a small grin.  
She was about to say something else when his phone jangled from his pocket, interrupting their conversation.  
"Excuse me," he said, answering it with a short "Almeida."  
She instantly saw his face light up and soften to whoever was on the other end, which made her heart stop for a second.  
"Hi. Sorry I didn't call this morning but I wasn't sure if you were busy or not," he moved passed Lindsey, taking the stairs slowly, smiling at whatever was being said in his ear.  
Lindsey turned away, wondering if it was _her_ on the other end. Most likely. He went into his office, closing the door behind him. She trudged back to her station.

Tony had to end his conversation with Michelle when he got a call from DOD. He answered the phone, beginning another long hard day.

Lindsey couldn't help it; he had a power over her. She watched him most of the day, picking up things he did and cataloging it into a brain file completely dedicated to Tony Almeida. By her third day, she knew that he liked his coffee black or with mild creamer, depending what mood he was in. She found out he was a huge Cubs fan, also informing her that he was from Chicago. She knew that when he was unsure he scratched the side of his face. She didn't know who his mystery woman was but she didn't see her in the office which meant that she worked at some other branch or didn't work in the government. She knew that CTU's second in charge was at a conference in New York City and that her name was Michelle Dessler, but she scrapped the idea that it might be her because Chapelle had strongly said that inter office relationships were prohibited. She highly doubted that Tony would risk braking the rules, he seemed like someone who liked following the book. Obviously, she didn't know him very well.

She did her job, steering clear of Chloe and another analyst that was strange, Adam. He thought he was the only one that deserved to work at CTU and was also a feminist. Lindsey soon came to dislike most people in the office, cocooning herself in a bubble that only Tony could penetrate.

A week passed and soon it was Wednesday night and she felt tired but also ecstatic. Tony had left an hour ago saying he had an appointment, but not before he went to IT to check on something. Lindsey was down there working, learning to get used to the system. Tony came in with Chloe. They were talking about something Lindsey didn't have the clearance code to know. They went to a monitor, but as they passed, he brushed by her, his hand grazing her forearm. She felt a surge of electricity pass up her arm and through the rest of her body. She had to strain to keep her emotions in check and keep from yelping up in excitement and exhilaration. He apologized but she was too stunned to replay, merely shaking her head like a dumb puppy. He didn't seem to notice anything, his mind too occupied by the situation at hand.  
She now recalled that memory and fed off of it like a junkie on drugs. She would go home tonight and relish the simple contact between her and Tony, her fixation.

_Sorry its so slow but I just really want to get across Lindsey's obsession. Don't worry, it gets better ;)_


	4. Wednesday Night

_Thanks again everyone for the reviews, you can't believe how much they mean to me._

_Here's a Tony and Michelle "scene" that's WAY overdue. Hope you enjoy ;)_

Wednesday Night

Tony waited for Michelle at terminal six, watching as people spilled out of the plane, wheeling carryon bags, turning on phones and PDAs, looking for a familiar face in the crowd. He waited further back, not liking the feeling of being pressed against strange people.  
He recognized a familiar head of curls. It came down the ramp and into the waiting area. He moved forward, coming to meet her. People stood between them, he parted the way.  
When they saw each other, they both gave smiles, of relief, of happiness, of love. She willingly fell into his embrace, his arms coming around and squeezing her to him.  
"It's nice to have you home," he said into her hair.  
"I'm glad to be home," she said, pulling back just enough to seal her lips over his. He welcomed the kiss and quickly deepened it, his hands burrowing deep within her hair.  
"Let's get out of here," he said when they broke apart. She gladly agreed.

They talked about her trip on the drive home from LAX, his hand on her thigh as she gave him a detailed account of CTU NYC. She stopped and watched him drive, his face carefree and relaxed.  
"I missed you so much," she said softly.  
He turned his face to her and gave her an Almeida smile. "You can't even imagine how much I missed you."  
They stopped at a red light and Michelle leaned in close to his ear, her breath playing across his cheek.  
"I missed all of you," she said, kissing his neck, her hand drifting down his abdomen on a quest to find a long lost relic. He jumped a little and gave a pleasurable smile.  
"Honey, let's wait till we get home, or else you're gonna to make me have a car accident," he said in a low guttural whisper. She smiled seductively, letting her hand slip away, the light changing green.  
They rushed home, Tony going over the speed limit just a tad, taking the short way back to his apartment.  
They arrived at Tony's building, leaving Michelle's bags in the car to be retrieved at a later time. They could barely keep their hands to themselves as they rode the elevator to the fifth floor. As soon as the doors opened wide enough for them to get out, they were making a blind dash to his door, tripping over their own excitement. It took him about a minute to get the door opened because his hands were shaking. Finally, after what seemed like an excruciating forever, the door swung open and Michelle flung herself into his arms, pushing him deep into the darkness. She closed the door with a backward kick.  
They eagerly began to strip, shedding their clothes. Michelle slid off her wrinkled work blazer, at the same time ripping open the buttons of his shirt. They kept the lights off, moving closer to the bedroom, leaving a trail of discarded clothes behind them.  
Soon they were standing merely in their underwear, Tony displaying dark blue boxers and Michelle a dark bra and black panties that fitted the contours of her curves perfectly. He pressed her up against the wall, devouring the delicate flesh of her bare shoulder, her neck, her exposed chest. She wrapped herself tightly around him, her head thrown back; hear eyes looking at the shadowed ceiling, panting heavily. He released her from the wall and carried her to his bed and laid her down and crawled on top of her.  
Once he was over her, he slowed down, taking his sweet time traveling down her body, slowly unclasping her bra, slowly peeling off her underwear. She sighed and moaned and gave sharp gasps when he touched a sensitive spot. He kissed her breasts, slid down her stomach, falling further and further south; her body arching beneath him. Dark curls fell across the pillow top, her lips slightly parted, eyes closed.  
Tony returned to her, his lips finding hers in the dark. He waited until she was ready before he slid into her. Two sharp gasps filled the room, though there was only one being. They melted into one, pressing their sweaty bodies against one another, moving together threw a sea of Arabian cotton.  
The dark was penetrated with the sounds of their passionate love making and their vows of love; the air electric with the friction they created, saturated with their lust.

Lindsey once again dreamt about him that night, unaware that he lay in another woman's arms. She ran all the things she knew about him through her mind. She pictured what his lips might taste like, what his hands would feel like against her nude skin. She curled her toes under her blankets, smothering herself in her pillows, drowning out the emptiness of her miniscule apartment. She fell asleep with the image of Tony Almeida playing across her closed eyelids.


	5. In the Morning

_I know, I know. You guys (ladies I mean) crave drama. Its coming right up, next chapter it begins, I promise. This is just a little teaser to hold you over._

_Oh! And thanks so, so much for the reviews. I love you all!!_

In the Morning

"Tony, wake up," a voice whispers into Tony's ear. His face twitches but otherwise doesn't stir.  
"Tony," they call again. He can feel a weight on his torso, a hand moving between the hairs of his chest. He feels something moist on his shoulder, swiping to his clavicle. Warm air tickles his cheek and a nose brushes against his ear. He feels all this as he floats between consciousness and sleep.  
"Open your eyes," her sweet voice says.  
Eyes flutter open to meet her, the first thing he wants to see every morning. Long lashes rim her bright eyes, battering in the soft light creeping between the curtains. She hovers over him, half of her body resting on him. The sheet is lost somewhere at their waists and she presses her unclothed chest into his ribcage.  
"Good morning," she says.  
"Good morning," he replies, bringing his hand up to cup her face. She melts into it, her eyes closing. He can feel her heart's steady beat, his own heart involuntarily matching hers.  
"I wish we could lie here forever," she says softly, more to herself then him.  
"I wish we could," he murmurs.  
She eventually leaves his side, walking across the room in splendid nudity. Propping himself on an elbow, he watches her. She disappears into the bathroom but soon her head reappears in the doorway.  
"Are you joining me?" she asks.  
He doesn't need to be told twice. He is across the room and in her arms in record time, which makes her laugh.

Lindsey dresses for another day, alone; the only solace is the mental picture of Tony at his desk. He turns to look at her and something sparks between them. He picks up his phone and dials her extension. When she has the phone to her ear he says, "I love you."  
"I love you too."  
But this is all just in her mind. I beautiful masterpiece she has created in her imagination. But she holds onto the that little fairytale, running it through her mind again and again, hoping that if she focuses on it enough, it will become a reality.  
She gets in her mediocre car that's parked on her mediocre street in front of her mediocre apartment. She drives to work, doesn't turn on the radio. Instead she listens to an internal dialog between her boss and herself. It carries her to CTU, where she composes herself, rearranging her facial features to fit an analyst's profile. She enters the building, her eyes instinctively scanning the room for him. She feeds off that moment when she sees him for the first time after a night apart. He usually doesn't notice her but she doesn't care.  
She searches for him, doesn't see him and guesses he's running late. She goes to her station and logs onto her system, unaware that in less than twenty minutes her heart will fracture.


	6. Mystery Woman

_Hey! Sorry its taken me so long to post, but I've been **super** busy with school. _

_This chapter isn't the best, its sort of rushed and it jumps around a lot, but its another chapter that lays things out for the future. Don't worry, it gets better ;)_

_Once again, reviews are appreciated!_

_Oh, and sorry for all you computer magicians (isn't that such a cooler reference than computer geeks?), sorry for fudging the computer and legal terms. _

_Once again, I don't own anything. (Damn)_

Mystery Woman

"Tony wants to see you at station one," Chloe told Lindsey, who was busily typing away a report. She looked up from her screen to see Chloe impatiently waiting for her to say that she understood. Lindsey waited ten seconds, just to irritate the techie.

"Thanks Chloe," she said in her most breezy voice, laughing internally when Chloe's eyes narrowed in irritation before she scuttled off.

Lindsey logged off her system and went down to station one, Tony running through her mind like a crawl on the news. She always saw the world but underneath the big picture was always her boss. He was in her every action, her every thought. Her stomach fluttered as she saw him, sitting on the edge of station one, talking to someone out of her eye sight.

"Tony, you called for me?" she said warmly, coming to stand next to him. The person he had been talking to was still turned away from her, it irritated her just a fraction.

"Oh, yes, thanks for coming Lindsey. I would like you to meet my Chief of Staff, Michelle Dessler," he said to the back of the chair.

It swiveled around, displaying a woman Lindsey would soon come to hate.  
Lindsey had to admit that she was pretty, the kind of classic beauty with dark curls falling into her almond eyes and full lips. Her skin was pale but her cheeks had a rosy tinge to them. Nothing like what Lindsey looked like. She had white blond hair that had held not even a single wave in it; her eyes where a dark, murky green. She had small breasts, unlike Michelle's, which were round, full, and peeked out slightly from the top of her navy blue blouse. Lindsey was never classified as beautiful, more like striking, with all her sharp angles and clear features.

"Nice to meet you," Lindsey said stiffly, extending her hand, which Michelle took with a professional smile.

"Welcome. I hope Tony hasn't been pushing you too hard," she said with a laugh, glancing at Tony, who chuckled.

Lindsey wanted to sulk. "No actually, he's been very understanding."

Michelle didn't even look her way. Her gaze was still fixed on Tony.

_Get a number_, Lindsey thought sarcastically.

Little did she know that Michelle's number was the only one Tony had ever, and would ever, call on.

Lindsey though of Michelle Dessler all day. Why a woman so beautiful would be working at a place like CTU puzzled Lindsey. Having her around made Lindsey's self of steam plummet painfully low. And besides the fact that she was gorgeous, she was incredibly smart, and when Lindsey hacked into her file, she was informed that Michelle was also a field agent.

Michelle could work computers second best to Chloe O'Brien _and_ she could wield a gun. A scary combination.

"Peters."

"Lindsey, can I see you at station one?" Michelle's harmonious voice said through the receiver. Lindsey cringed.

"I'll be right down."

In strides that were far from graceful, Lindsey made it to station one; her shoulders slumped as though curved by a heavy burden.

"You wanted me?" Lindsey said to call Michelle's attention.

"Yes. I need you to analyze these files then uploaded them to the CVC server," she said, motioning to a tall stack of papers. Lindsey inwardly groaned.

Lindsey scooped them up, her arms straining with the weight of the paper. She began to turn away.

"Oh, and have it done by three."

_What!_ Lindsey inwardly thought. _Three, but that only gives me… half an hour._ There was no way she would finish by that dead line. She turned to see if Michelle had meant another time but Michelle had already dismissed her and was on to more important things.

Lindsey turned back to her station, silently cursing the beautiful second in command.

Michelle wasn't a cruel person. That being said, it was Michelle herself that was most surprised by her acts of ruthlessness toward the new employee. Michelle had turned into the stereotyped hated boss who never cut people slack and worked them to the bone;_ people _and _them_ meaning, Lindsey Peters.

Michelle had always listened to her intuition, and a woman's intuition is never wrong, especially when it comes to protecting the ones she loves. Her intuition was telling her to not trust Lindsey Peters. It told her that she wasn't quite right and that in some sick way, she wanted Tony. Her Tony.

Michelle wasn't afraid of competition, but she _was_ scared of how unstable this woman was. And so to keep her unstable hands away from Tony, she kept Lindsey busy.

Lindsey, preoccupied with Michelle's every demand, had not been able to find out who Tony's mystery woman was. Had she only been in Tech One on Tuesday night, she would have found him and Michelle intertwined against the back wall, kissing feverishly in a stolen moment before a conference meeting. Also, her Tony spying time had almost completely diminished as Michelle kept her glued to her desk from dawn till dusk. If only Lindsey had been a bit brighter in the matters of love and the dynamics of relationships, would she have known that Michelle was keeping her busy for a reason other than to show her rank.

_Lindsey Peters. Lindsey Almeida_.

Lindsey day dreamed, her pointy chin cupped in her hand. Tony was in the bullpen, his sleeves rolled up, giving her a teaser of his toned arms. She couldn't hear what he was saying but she could almost imagine his gruff, sexy voice. He absentmindedly scratched the side of his face, his eyebrows pulling together. Lindsey wanted so badly to fly down the stairs and hurl herself into his arms. Her desire was so strong that she fidgeted in her chair.

Today she had worn a daring shirt that showed the small cleavage her wonder bra created. So far, Tony hadn't noticed.

She scanned the bullpen, her eyes falling on Michelle Dessler. Lindsey had only one word for her; _bitch._ No one else seemed to notice that she was making Lindsey's life a personal hell. Lindsey now saw her walk up to Tony. Tony, being the gentleman that he was, gave her his full attention.

"Tony," Michelle called, walking up to him. He turned away from Landon and what he was showing him at monitor two to face her.

"Ya," he said.

"I found something on the European logs you may want to see," she said. Tony nodded his head and fallowed her to her station. He couldn't help but watch her hips sway as she walked, how her skirt, which he had chosen for her to wear, made her ass look great. She had taken off her jacket earlier and Tony now admiringly studied how the cream silk top fell upon her lovely bones. Diamonds hung from each perfect earlobe, almost like raindrops, glistening in the office lights. Opium, her perfume, was rightly named, for it _was_ like a drug. The fragrance was so intoxicating that he often felt high on an ecstasy only she could bring.

They arrived at her station, where she slid into her seat and began typing away at her computer. Tony stood behind her, watching as her nimble fingers worked the keyboard so fast that he didn't even bother trying to keep up. Eventually she stopped on a chart of cell activity in Russia. She started pulling up inferred pictures of what seemed to be large army camps.

"See, right here," she pointed to her screen. He leaned in to get a better look at what she was referring to.

"These are from ten days ago," she said. He studied it closer. As he deciphered what he was seeing, his stomach slowly dropped.

"Is that a missile?" he asked, hoping that he was looking at the image wrong.

She nodded her head, confirming his worries.

"How did this get overseen? You said these were from ten days ago, right?"

"Yes they are. I'm not sure how it was overlooked, but Tony, if this is what we think it is, we have to call the president."

"I'll call him right now," Tony said, rushing up to his office, Michelle in tow.

He picked up his phone and dialed the presidential offices in Washington DC.

"This is Tony Almeida, head of CTU Los Angeles. I need to be patched through to the president immediately."

Tony and Michelle exchanged troubled glances as they waited for President Palmer.

"Do you think they would really launch it?" Michelle whispered.

"I'm not sure," Tony hated to see Michelle worry but he had no words to sooth her.

"This is President Palmer," Palmer's clear, decisive voice came through the phone speakers.

"Mr. President, this is Tony Almeida, director of CTU Los Angeles. You're also on with my Chief of Staff, Michelle Dessler," Tony introduced.

"What can I do for you Mr. Almeida and Ms. Dessler?"

"Sir, we have probable evidence that the Russian terrorist organization that blew up that stadium in Boston is in possession of a missile. And from they're last cryptic message; we believe that they'll use it against US civilians."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, sir, we are," Michelle's voice said clearly.

"Ok. I'll call the Secretary of Defense and get my generals together. Thank you Mr. Almeida and Ms. Dessler."

"Thank you Mr. President," they said together before hanging up.

"What do you think will happen next?" Michelle asked.

"I'm not sure, but this case will most likely be turned over to the Boston branch," Tony said with a bitter face. "But we'll just have to see."

Michelle nodded her head, her brow furred in tension.

Tony's face softened. "Hey, you did well. No one else seemed to notice that, because of you we might be able to prevent these psychos from causing any more havoc."

"Thanks, I'm only doing my job," Michelle said, looking down at the floor.

"Hey, come here," Tony said, opening his arms to her. She willingly fell into his embrace, resting her face in the crook of his neck.

The air _whooshed_ out of Lindsey's lungs as she spied into Tony's office. Michelle was clinging to Tony's neck and Tony's expression was that of one of committing a normal act, as though he hugged Michelle Dessler often.

Wait, wait, wait.

Lindsey's racked her brain for any indications of prior tenderness between them that would explain this. As she searched, small little things made themselves prominent.

She had seen Tony place his hand on her lower back often, but Lindsey had though little of it. There was also the fact that they always seemed to arrive at the same time. And now that she thought about it, she remembered that one day they had both went out to lunch and when they returned they both had coffee cups from the same restaurant. Lindsey had dismissed that because they had arrived ten minutes apart.

_Was Michelle Tony's mystery woman?_


	7. Revelations

_I'm soooooooo sorry its taken me so long, but I've been really busy with school and a lot of other things. I know I keep leaving you hanging but I promise I have not given up on this fanfic, it **will** go on and get better._

_Thank you so much for the reviews, i love you all :)_

_Sorry once again for the delay, but with no further ado, I present to you, the seventh chapter in Fixation (drum roll)_

Revelations

The weight of her knew discovery, or actually the speculation of what she thought she had seen, crushed Lindsey until she couldn't focus on her work. Her eyes twitched from Tony to Michelle and back, all the while smoothing the front of her shirt, tugging at the corner that never lay right, trying to calm her fretting nerves.

_Was it love?_

_Was it sex?_

_Was she just sleeping with her boss to get ahead in her career?_

Lindsey tortured herself with these questions.

Curiosity killed the cat. Now she finally understood the true meaning of that saying. She had lived in her own perfect world where she believed that Tony really wasn't seeing anybody and that at any second he would come and carry her away like in all true fairy tales. That image came tumbling down faster than a house of cards.

She now watched as the writing on the wall became bold and clear. Tony was dating someone. And that someone was his Chief of Staff, which just happened to be one of the prettiest women Lindsey had ever seen in person.

Lindsey's future with her dream man was starting to look pretty bleak.

Michelle pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to keep her mounting headache from over powering her senses. Tony was up in his office waiting for the president to call back, Michelle could see him pacing, his eyes never leaving the phone. She desperately and secretly hoped that this crisis would be handled by the Boston branch, she didn't think she could deal with another attack so soon. They had just barely survived the bomb and the warehouse explosion a few months prior, Michelle needed some peace, even if it was just for a couple of weeks.

She rested her head on the back of her chair, closing her eyes for a brief moment. Images of her first hand encounter with death and destruction flooding the back of her lids, and she desperately tried to block them out.

The first reassuring image she could conjure was of Tony, absentmindedly drawing patterns on her back as she lay on her side, relishing in a moment of absolute bliss and certainty; certainty that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man.

That was after they had first made love.

Michelle smiled softly at the memory, her hand feeling her empty ring finger.

She sighed sadly and opened her eyes, going back to work.

Tony put the phone back in its cradle, having just hung up with the director of CTU Boston. His analysts were going to investigate and confirm the information given to them by Michelle. Tony scratched the side of his face, glancing at the clock. It read 11:38 pm.

A full office investigation was going to be conducted to find out who was the one that had over looked this critical piece of information. Whoever was proven guilty would have severe repercussions, and Tony was afraid to think of what might happen to them if these terrorists hurt even one civilian.

But that would have to wait until tomorrow, he concluded. His staff had been on for eighteen hours, and he didn't think they could make it for another two hours for Rae Plachecki to come over and get set up, not including the endless hours of questioning. No, he thought, he would let that rest until tomorrow, after he and his crew had had at least seven hours of sleep and a meal.

His eyes moved down to Michelle, working diligently at her station. His heart swelled with pride and gratefulness toward her. She was so incredibly smart. If what she had caught could help them prevent an attack on U.S. soil, she would be highly regarded. She really deserved to be recognized for her intelligence, strength and determination. Tony hated to think that people thought the only reason she had been moved up in rank was because they were sleeping together. Michelle deserved, at the very least, some respect.

His eyes flickered back to the clock, and he sighed heavily, picking up the phone and calling Michelle.

He was going home, and she was coming with him.

Peeling her shirt off her weary body, she discarded her wonder bra in a corner with disgust. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as she pulled on a big t-shirt and crawled under her warm comforter.

In that bed, she had envisioned what it would feel like to sleep every night curled into Tony's warm side, protected by his arms. She had dreamt of a quiet wedding on a sail boat, where the sun shone on his dark curls and brightened her cheeks almost as much as her happiness. They would drink champagne from crystal glasses while they listened to, 'their song', intertwined in each other's sun soaked arms. She had fantasized what their children would look like; the days at the park, Tony teaching Jr. how to catch a baseball.

Her hopes and desires choke her, closing in, replaying themselves faster and faster until they become mutated and disfigured. Tony now teaching a curly headed girl how to tie her red sneakers. Tony bringing breakfast in bed to a lady whose face is shrouded in shadows. Tony repainting a fence, a wedding ring that has long ago lost its shine but not its sentiment on his finger, the knuckle grown around it to indicate that it would never come off. Tony making love to a woman with such tenderness that it makes her weep, his lips lightly kissing the tears away as his own, lone, tear trails down his face.

The flashes start to slow, coming to rest on one last image, a figment of Lindsey's troubled imagination. Tony at the altar, smiling in the classic suit all men wear when making a lifelong bond, an unbreakable promise to the one they're devoted to; a beaming Michelle at his side, wearing the classic gown all women wear when offering themselves to the one they undyingly love.

_Until next time..._


	8. The Mating Game

_Sorry I've haven't been posting, but, once again, school's a bitch. I hate that I never find time to work on this, hence the delays and the cliff hangers. Sorry, a trillion times. _

_Thank you again for the reviews. It would really help me if you could just take a minute to write up a review, thanks._

_Any similarities are merely coincidence._

_But, on with the story..._

The Mating Game

Life was a mating game, some won and some lost.

Tony and Michelle were on the winning end of this little social interaction. As far as a couple went in the sexual area, they were champs. As far as a couple went in the partner aspect, they were champs. As far as a couple went in the best friend sense, they were champs. As far as a couple went in unconditional love, they were champs.

The title of full time loser went to Lindsey Peters, time and time again. The sad truth was that she either didn't know how to love, or loved to the point of insanity. Take Tony for example; she was willing to do anything to have him. ANYTHING. Michelle was simply a small obstacle in her way, a nuisance that could easily be dealt with.

People do anything for love.

* * *

Seeing his girlfriend in lacy lingerie always got him lustful. Seeing his girlfriend in her work suit got him horny. Seeing his girlfriend in absolutely nothing, quickly, got him excited. But Tony Almeida was surprised to find he got aroused when his girlfriend lounged around the apartment in holy sweats and her old Berkeley hoodie. He found she looked so sexy when her hair was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail, her feet clad in miss matched socks. Those were the days she didn't wear make-up and her natural beauty glowed through.

Tony watched her as she read a book on the couch, trying to hide his hard on the other side of the kitchen counter. She had been looking forward to finishing her book all week and he didn't have to heart to interrupt her, at least not yet.

He bit down on his lip painfully, straining to keep his hand away from his friend down south. Looking away from the sight of Michelle, her eyes rapidly moving across the page, her finger bending the bottom corner, ready to flip the page, he tried to distract himself with something else. Glancing around the kitchen, he began to notice little things that he had never paid any mind to and made himself believe that they were interesting. He began to count the amount of tiles on the counter.

…_Twelve, thirteen, fourteen…_

It was no use, he was horny.

_Sorry, Michelle, you can finish your book later_, he though, giving into his male cravings. He rushed out from the other side of the counter and almost sprinted to where she lied lazily amidst his leather cushions.

Giving her no chance to react, he pounced on her in a way that closely resembled a wild beast attacking his prey.

He began to angrily suck on her lips, pulling her book away from her and dropping it on the floor. His hand worked up her leg, stopping at her knee and drawing it to his hip, burrowing himself in the cradle of her hips.

She pulled back. "What's gotten into you?" she asks with a breathless laugh.

"I just want you, babe," is all he offered as an explanation before he started mauling her again.

Michelle responded, hungrily reciprocating. She loved it when Tony got in his animalistic sex drive, it blew their sex experience through the roof. They silently decide to stay on the couch, they wouldn't make it to the bedroom anyway. He'd already removed her of her sweater and her tank top, his hand wondering down to the waist band of her pants. Her nails became claws, digging into the bare flesh of his back….

* * *

Lindsey could count the amount of relationships she's had on one hand. Only two of those had been really serious. Lindsey was a failure at human interactions, heck, that was way she worked with computers. Even as a child, Lindsey never made friends easily. While other girls went through puberty, going mad after boys (or sometimes, the occasional girl), Lindsey went to science club meetings. While other girls wore what was in fashion, she wore whatever fit her small, angular body. She had never been an athlete, never being much of a team player. She had hid behind books and school work, never cracking a smile in public.

In her college years she had improved when she made friends with G.G. Hutchins. G.G. was one of the popular girls, the school slut (to put it bluntly), and the only reason why she kept Lindsey around was to make herself feel good. Under G.G's wing, Lindsey got her first hang over, vomiting all over her dorm carpet, she lost her virginity and met Scott, her first boyfriend.

Scott was the captain of the math team, and he often understood numbers better than he did words. He always wore black square rimmed glasses, and _always_ had an inhaler in his pocket. His mother would knit him god offal sweaters, and he would wear them along with his famous, blue corduroy pants.

Lindsey had happily overlooked all this because she had thought she loved him. After being together for six months, Scott broke it off. Weeping on G.G's shoulder, Lindsey cried for a whole week.

John came next. He was a balding accountant who loved Star Wars, and actually owned all the action figures. They had only lasted a month.

After John, came the man Lindsey dreamed she would finally marry and live happily ever after. His name was Corry, and when Lindsey walked in on him pounding the neighbor, she packed her bags and left.

Ralph L. Fisher came next. He ran a deli on third and fourth street. He always smelled of clam chowder, which Lindsey had first thought as endearing, but by the end she found it nauseating. He had wanted to marry and have five kids, not particularly with Lindsey but with whoever obliged. Lindsey had been working for the government, as a coffee girl practically. She told him she wasn't ready to settle down. He had promptly married one of his waitresses.

After that, proceeded Ryley. He wasn't much more than weekly sex, Lindsey doubted that she had been the only girl he was seeing. They had drifted apart a couple months before she had joined CTU.

Which leads us up to Lindsey's dry patch, where no man could quench her thirst for Tony Almeida, the man she_ knew _she loved beyond reason or doubt.

* * *

…unhooking her bra, Tony tossed it somewhere over the couch, his head sinking down to catch one of her peaked nipples.

**Ring! Ring!**

Tony lifted his head, shooting an angry and desperate glare at the intruding phone. Michelle panted underneath him.

Ignoring it, he went back to work.

**Ring! Ring!**

He let out a growl.

Michelle reached over and picked up the cell phone from the side table.

"Tony, it's from CTU?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Let's ignore it," Tony kissed her hungrily. She pushed him away.

"Tony, we can't ignore it" she said firmly. Muttering under his breath and sending Michelle one more pleading look, which she answered in a severe raising of the eyebrows, he took the phone and angrily pushed the TALK button.

"Hello?" he said bitterly.

"Tony? This is Chapelle, we need you and Michelle to come in ASAP."

"What's happening?" Tony was curious, now that Chapelle's voice sounded urgent and somewhat frantic.

"The lead that Michelle found, you know, the Russian terrorist group, they struck again. Haven't you been watching the news?"

"No," exasperatedly, Tony found the remote and switched on the TV. Michelle's face had creased into a million worry lines.

Sure enough, every news broadcast was streaming the latest videos of the terrorist attacks. They had bombed the Golden Gate bridge. Cars were plummeting into the bay, great flames melting the remaining metal frame work. Smoke filled the sky.

Michelle let out a sharp gasp from beside him, Tony's mouth hung open in shock.

"Tony? Tony? Are you still there?" Chapelle called.

Tony had to clear his throat before answering, "Ya. We're coming in."


End file.
